Sports

New Delhi, Oct 22: Taking a strict action, International Boxing Association (AIBA) has provisionally suspended Indian woman boxer Laishram Sarita Devi for refusing to accept the bronze medal at the Asian Games podium ceremony.

The athlete had strongly protested against a controversial verdict at the podium where she broke down and refused to wear the medal around her neck following her controversial semi-final loss at Incheon. She claimed that she was the victim of biased verdict in the 57-60 kg category.

The boxing governing body also suspended her coaches Gurbaksh Sandhu, Sagar Dhayal and Blax Iglesias Fernandes, and Indian chef de mission Adile Sumariwala from all its events until further notice.

The decision by the AIBA to suspend Sarita Devi and her coaches came as a surprise. The athlete had already written an apology note to the body after she rejected the medal. However, her apology was not taken into consideration.